Doctor Who The Ultimate Foe
by Valeyardrwho1987
Summary: After watching The Trial of A Time Lord, I decided to make an alternate version of the last two parts out of the fourteen parts serial, resolving the what if's and and making Peri a major part of the story, so enjoy and let me know what you think.
1. Truth Revealed

**After watching The Trial of A Time Lord, I decided to make an alternate version of the last two parts out of the fourteen parts serial, resolving the what if's and and making Peri a major part of the story, so enjoy and let me know what you think. **

Doctor Who

The Trial of a Time lord

The Ultimate Foe

Chapter One

From the other entrance of the trial room, a bronze robed man entered the room where the Doctor, the Valeyard, and the Time Lords continued the trial.

"I came as soon as I could milady" the man said.

"Thank you Keeper", the inquisitor said, "Doctor Do you have any further evidence in your defense"?

"Milady with all due respect have we not seen enough", The Valeyard spoke as he rose from his seat, "Are you not forgetting article seven, and irrefutable charge which faces the Doctor, that of genocide"?

"I shall deal with that charge in due course Valeyard", Inquisitor told him, "Now kindly don't interrupt me again".

The Valeyard bowed respectfully, and the Inquisitor returned to the Doctor.

"Doctor Do you have any further evidence in your defense"? She asked the Doctor.

"No Milady", the Doctor answered, " But I would point out, that much of the Rail yard's so-called evidence, was a farrago of distortion, which would have had Ananias, Baron Munchhausen, and every other famous liar blushing to their very toenails, much of the evidence was not as I remembered".

The Valeyard looked at him with a somewhat smug and amused look.

"Do you still maintain the matrix has been tampered with"? The Inquisitor asked.

"Yes madam I do" The Doctor told her.

"All I do not yet understand who did it and why", he continued.

"Your accusation would laughable if it were not so outrageous", the Inquisitor told him, "However, as you see, I have summoned the Keeper of the Matrix".

"Keeper", she said to the bronze robed man

"Milady", the Keeper rose from his seat.

"You have heard the Doctor's allegations, is it all possible for the data stored within the Matrix to be tampered with in any way"? She asked him.

"Quite impossible, my lady", he answered with confidence.

"No one may enter the Matrix without the key of Rassilon", he said as he has on a key hooked on his chest piece.

"And by whom may the key be used"? The Doctor asked him.

"Qualified people, for inspection, once in millennium, perhaps", he stated, "to replace a transductor-".

"But keys can be copied, you'll agree", the Doctor interrupted him.

"The Key of Rassilon never leaves my possession" the Keeper said very firmly.

"Except in the hands of those "qualified people", the Doctor argued.

"This is a ridiculous allegation, my lady", the Valeyard jump into the argument as he rose from his seat, "The Doctor is challenging the evidence of the Matrix on the grounds that it has been tampered with, a charge he is totally unable to substantiate".

"That is accepted", the Inquisitor said, "Doctor, wild accusations of malfeasance do not constitute a defence".

"The Matrix can be physically penetrated the Keeper has admitted as much", the Doctor continued with the argument, "Now, much of the evidence you saw was at totally at variance with my own memory, therefore it has been deliberately distorted".

"And who would do such a thing, even if it were possible "? The Inquisitor asked.

"Somebody who wants my head, such as", the Doctor told her he turned pointed at the Valeyard, "The Valeyard".

The Valeyard chuckled lowly menacing at this accusation.

From the exterior of the space station, a time light stream burst out from one of the landing bays, three capsules began to pull into the bay.

As they land outside the trial room, one opens up and reveals to be Sabalom Glitz, wondering where he is.

"Let me out of here", said a muffled voice.

"Dibber what's happen to your voice lad"? Glitz asked, as he opened the capsule.

When the capsule opened, instead of Dibber, he finds a redheaded young woman in the capsule.

"I'm not Dibber", she told him as Glitz helped her up, "neither am I a lad, and what's more there's nothing wrong with my voice".

"Hello can someone open this for me"? Said another muffled voice.

Glitz walk to the other capsule, he opened it up and revealed a dark haired young woman.

"Well Peri, said Glitz as he helped her up, "Seems you got pulled into this as well".

"Glitz", she said, "Where's your friend Dibber"?

"I don't know", he answered.

"Who are you"? The redhead asked.

"Sabalom Glitz", he said bowing.

"Perpugilliam Brown", said the young woman, "But my friends call me Peri".

"And you are", asked Glitz.

"Melanie known as Mel", the redhead said.

"Are they like you here"? He asked.

"I don't know", Mel said, "should we go and find out"?

He laughed and let her go first and Peri, and began walking through the corridor.

Back in the trial room the argument continued about the Matrix being with.

"There is only one way to rebut the evidence of the Matrix, Doctor", the Inquisitor told him, "and is to produce witnesses that can support your version of events can you do that"?

"Of course I can't, you know I can't", the Doctor exclaimed.

"Then we must accept the Valeyard's evidence", she said.

"Any witnesses I might produce are scattered all over the universe", the Doctor retorted, "and all through time. How can I find them now"?

"Procrastination, my lady", said the Valeyard, "The Doctor's only…"

He stopped when he looked at the entrance.

Mel, Peri, and Glitz, entered the trial room, the Doctor looked at them, but his eyes fixed on Peri.

"Doctor"! Peri ran to the Doctor and embraced him.

He felt relieved that Peri was in fact alive.

"How is it you're here"? The Doctor exclaimed, "Last I saw you, you were trapped on Thoros Beta, what are you, Mel, and Glitz doing here"?

"I was sent, wasn't I"? Glitz said, "Not my idea, mind".

"Same here", Mel said, "What have you been up to"?

"Be silent, the Inquisitor told her, "Who sent you"?

"That's the beak isn't it"? Glitz said smugly, "They all look the same, don't they, carved out of something hard and nasty".

"You said you were sent here, Sabalom Glitz", the Inquisitor inquired, "By whom"?

"By me Madam", a voice came from the Matrix screen.

They all turned their attention to the screen to see a man in all black, a goatee, and slicked back hair.

"Oh no, now I really am finished", the Doctor announced.

"Oh no not him", Peri exclaimed.

"Who's that"? Mel asked.

"Just one of my oldest enemies", the Doctor answered.

"This is entirely irregular", the Inquisitor said, "Who are you sir"?

"I'm known as the Master", the man on the screen told her, "And as you see I speak to you from within the Matrix, proof if any be needed not only qualified people can enter here, or the fact that Miss Perpugilliam Brown is still alive".

"But you haven't got the key of Rassilon", the Keeper told him.

"I got a very copy Keeper," the Master said showing them a key, "Just as the Doctor said was possible".

"This is an independent inquiry appointed by the high council", the Inquisitor informed him, "To investigate serious charges"-

"Madam I know", the Master interrupted her, "I followed the trial with great interest and indeed amusement, but I must intervene for the sake of justice".

"Justice"? The Doctor questioned, "Pay no attention madam, he has no concept of what justice is, he'd see me dead tomorrow".

"Gladly Doctor", the Master admitted then turns his attention to the Valeyard, "But I'm not prepared to countenance a rival".

"My lady I must propose an immediate adjournment", the Valeyard said.

"I'm sorry, Valeyard", the Inquisitor told him, "The evidence for the prosecution is completed, the ball, as the Doctor might say, is out of your court".

"Doctor", the Master said, "I've you sent three star witnesses, I knew you'd need them".

The Doctor turned his attention to Peri, Mel and Glitz.

"With due respect sagacity" the Valeyard said, "The matter of witnesses is for to decide, we've seen enough to know that Glitz is admitted criminal, any testimony from him must be therefore dubious in the extreme"!

"But not from me", Mel told, "I'm as truthful, honest and about as boring as they come".

"This court is not, for the moment impugning your integrity, young lady", the Inquisitor said.

"Let's Sabalom Glitz speak", the Master told her.

"Criminals have been known to speak the truth, Valeyard", the Inquisitor told him, "Especially when their own interests are not at stake".

"My point, my lady", the Valeyard argued, "Is that this person who calls himself the Master, whoever he might be, should not be permitted to produce surprise witnesses".

"You pretend not to know me, do you"? The Master asked, "I'm surprised by the shortness of the Valeyard's memory".

The Valeyard just stared at him intensely.

"The Doctor may, in his defense", the Inquisitor said, "May call witnesses to rebut your evidence, after which you may cross them, that is the procedure, Valeyard".

"My lady", the Valeyard said bowing.

"If I might intercede", the Master started to ask.

"You have no part", the Inquisitor interrupted him, "In these proceeding, sir".

"Corporeally, of course not, but I'm present and enjoying myself enormously", the Master said.

"Doctor, please examine your witnesses", the Inquisitor said.

"Yes, madam", the Doctor said turned his attention to Glitz.

"This is real machonite, you know", Glitz said while examining the pattern of a wall piece, "Worth a few grotzis today, your Honor".

"Glitz", the Doctor called.

"I could make a fair offer", Glitz continued not paying attention to the Doctor, "On a job lot…"

"Glitz"! The Doctor said louder.

"Do a very good deal, what"? Glitz asked annoyed.

"You were sent here by the Master", the Doctor inquired.

"Well, he's a business partner, so to speak" Glitz informed him, "We've had a few nice little tickles together".

Glitz gestured with the money gesture.

"Yes", the Doctor interrupted, "This court isn't interested in your sordid business deals, Glitz".

"Very, good Doctor," the Inquisitor said, "Keep him to the point".

"When we last met, you express interest in a box", the Doctor continued.

"Right", Glitz answered.

"What was in that"? The Doctor asked.

"I don't know", Glitz continued, "Scientific stuff, so he said".

He pointed to the Master.

"Stuff that the sleepers have been nicking from the Matrix for years", Glitz continued.

"The Matrix"? The Keeper said surprised, "My Matrix".

"Right", Glitz answered, "Well, it seems the sleepers had found a way to break into the Matrix, and they were creaming of this high-tech info to take back to Andromeda".

"But they operating from Earth", the Doctor stated.

"Course that was their cover, wasn't it"? Said Glitz, "They knew that the Time Lords eventually would trace the leak".

"He's lying, my lady"! The Valeyard said firmly.

"I don't think so, Stack yard", The Doctor informed him, and "It all begins to make very good sense".

"That's it Doc"! Mel said excited, "Now we're getting at the dirt".

Peri giggled knowing that the Doctor hates being called that.

"Doc"? He winced but quickly recovered and went back to Glitz, "Carry on, Glitz, what happened next"?

"Well, eventually," Glitz continued, "The Time Lords did suss out the leak, so they wanted to wipe out all the sleepers, so they used this, uh, magno, Magno…

"Magnotron"? The Doctor inquired.

"That's it", Glitz said.

"Well, that can only be done by an order in high council", the Doctor said.

"Of course, Doctor", the Master informed him, "To protect their own secrets, they drew the Earth and its constellation billions of miles across space…

"Causing the fireball which nearly destroyed the planet", the Doctor finished.

"Of little consequence in the high councils planning", the Master continued, "The robot recovery mission form Andromeda sped past Earth out into space, Gallifreyian secrets were saved, except that at the first intimation of the coming fireball, the Andromedans were able set up a survival chamber for the sleepers.

"So that's why Earth was renamed Ravalox", The Doctor deduced, "That sanctimonious gang of hypocrites were covering their tracks"!

"Exactly", the Master reveled, "It takes time, Doctor, but you eventually get there".

"They put an ancient culture", the Doctor said angrily ignoring the Master's insult, "Like the Earth to the sword for the sake of a few miserable, filthy scientific advance"?

"Big market for them, Doctor", Glitz informed him, "So he said, worth a lot of grotzis".

"All my travelling's throughout the universe, I have battled against evil", the Doctor told everyone, "Against power-mad conspirators, I should have stayed here, the oldest civilization, decadent, degenerate, and rotten to the core, power-mad conspirators, Daleks, Sontarans, Cybermen…, they're still in the nursery compared to us, ten million year of absolute power, that's what it takes to be really corrupt"!

"Doctor…" Peri tried to calm him down.

"Take it easy, Doc", Mel said doing the same.

"Doctor, these unseemly outbursts…" the Inquisitor began.

"UNSEEMLY OUTBURSTS"? The Doctor interrupted angrily, "If I haven't visit Ravalox, as I then thought of it, the High Council would have kept this outrage carefully buried, as presumably as they have for several centuries"!

"I must agree", the Master said, "You have endearing habit of blundering into these things, Doctor, and the High Council took full advantage of your blunder".

The Doctor listened to him, as the Master told him this.

"Explain that"! The Inquisitor demanded.

The Master turned his attention to the Valeyard.

"They made a deal with the Valeyard", he informed them, "Or as I've always known him, the Doctor, to adjust the evidence, in return for which he was promised the remainder of the Doctor's regenerations".

The Valeyard watched angrily at The Master, as he was exposing the truth.

"This is clearly…" The Valeyard attempted to object, standing from his seat.

"Just a minute", The Doctor interrupted, "Did you call him the Doctor"?

"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you", The Master said, "The Valeyard is amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your 12th and final incarnation, and I might say, you do not improve with age".

The Doctor looked at the Valeyard with shock, the Valeyard made no attempt to deny it; he stared at the Doctor with an intense glare.

"Madam," The Doctor said to the Inquisitor, not taking his eyes off the Valeyard, "This revelation should halt this trial immediately, surely, even Gallifreyan law must acknowledge that the same person cannot be both prosecutor and defendant".

"The single purpose of this trial", The Inquisitor told him, "Is to determine the defendant's or otherwise on the basis of the evidence that has been presented, anything else is, for the moment, irrelevant".

"WHAT"? The Doctor exasperated.

While that was going on, The Valeyard slipped out of the courtroom swiftly, not notice by the Time Lords or the guards, Peri and Mel notice from the corner of their eye.

"Doctor"! Peri and Mel called at the same.

"Valeyard"! The Inquisitor yelled.

The Doctor chased after the Valeyard.

"Come on Glitz," yelled the Doctor.

"What"? Glitz said.

"We need him", the Doctor informed him.

As they exited the courtroom in the corridor, to find the Valeyard is nowhere to be found.

"But he hasn't had time", said Glitz surprised of how quickly he vanished.

"Must be another way out of here", the Doctor deduced.

"He's gone", said Glitz

They stopped in front of a stain glass window, when Peri, Mel, The Inquisitor, and the Keeper came out as well.

"The seventh door", The Keeper told the Inquisitor, "He must have had a key".

"What"? The Doctor asked.

"The seventh entrance to the Matrix", The Keeper informed him, walking past Peri and Mel to the door.

"Well, quickly man, open it", The Doctor told him, "He must be brought back".

"I agree", The Inquisitor said.

The Keeper gave the Doctor the key, and he put it on a scanner, the stain glass window slid open exposing a white light.

"You'll never find him", The Keeper told the Doctor, and "The Matrix is micro-universe".

"Don't go, Doctor", Mel urged.

"I must", The Doctor told her, "Perhaps nothing in my life has ever bit so important".

He entered the door and grabbed Glitz's arm.

"Come on, Glitz", the Doctor said.

"Me"? Glitz said as he was pulled in.

"Doctor"! Peri yelled chasing after them.

"Doctor"! Mel yelled attempted to chase after them but stop by the door, and the door closed.

"Be silent", the Inquisitor announced, "come, let us return to the trial room".

"Why"? Mel inquired, "There's nobody to try anymore".

"Come along, both of you", she told Mel and the Keeper.

The Keeper put the key back on his chest piece, while Mel looked back at the door.

In the Matrix there is a dark alley the ground covered with hay, rotten food, dirty rats running all over the place, suddenly loud hum pierces the air and a white light down and the Doctor jumps out of it and the light vanishes, the Doctor recollects himself, discombobulated from the journey.

"Oh", He moaned, "Oh, what an unpleasant journey".

He looks around to see where he's at, looking at the melancholy alley, a bell tolling in the distant, seeing a sign with a cholera epidemic, hearing distant voices calling for a doctor.

"What an unpleasant place", He stated out loud.

He went by the cholera sign. Deciding not to go that way began walking in the other direction, wondering where Glitz is.

"Glitz"? He called no answer.

He walked further out of the dark alley.

"Glitz"? He called again

Instead he heard a maniacal laugh in the distant, assuming to be the Valeyard.

Then he heard children singing London Bridge is falling down as he walk further away from the alley, then he heard the Valeyard's maniacal laugh again.

As he went from the alley he came across a pottery factory, hearing a music hall piano playing and people laughing and enjoying the music.

Then he heard a loud hum and looked to see it came from the alley, he thought it was Glitz.

"Doctor"! A young woman's voice called, he realized it was Peri.

"Over here Peri"! The Doctor answered.

Peri went in the direction she heard the Doctors voice, found him across the court yard, she ran up to him.

"What are you doing in the Matrix"? He asked.

"I didn't want to be around by those Time Lords", She answered.

"Why"? He asked.

"I'll explain later", She said.

"Alright", he said not pushing the subject.

"What is this creepy place"? She asked.

"The Matrix", The Doctor said, "Set in Victorian London".

"I was trying to trace the Valeyard", He continued, "So far he's well hidden".

He walked next to a barrel of water, stopped to examine it.

"Hmm I can't believe you're in there" He said out loud looking at it more closely.

Suddenly two hands came out of the water, and began to pull the Doctors face with inhuman strength into the water.

"Glitz"! The Doctor yelled, "Peri"!

Another loud hum and a light came down and Glitz exits it, he looked for the Doctor.

"Help"! Peri yelled.

"Doctor"! Glitz called.

"Hurry, man"! The Doctor answered.

Glitz ran from the alley and found the Doctor on the ground coughing, with Peri kneeling beside him.

"What's going on"? He asked.

"He was attacked", Peri answered.

"I don't know whether what just happened to me was real or an illusion", The Doctor told him.

"Looks like someone's had a go at you", Glitz said.

"Do you mind"? The Doctor asked.

"What"? Glitz asked.

"Water", the Doctor told him.

"Oh", Glitz realized, "yeah, sure".

He went to the barrel to get water; the Doctor rubbed his head, feeling his hair wasn't wet.

"We're not in the world any longer, Peri, Sabalom Glitz", the Doctor told them, and "whatever attacked me was in that barrel".

As the Doctor told Glitz this, he picked up a handful of water, only to throw it back in.

"Or was it in my mind"? The Doctor continued.

"How can we be in a different world"? Glitz asked, "We just step through a door, that's all"

"Into the Matrix", the Doctor told him, "where the only logic is that there isn't any logic".

"Yeah, I knew this was a mistake", Glitz told him, "My grip on reality's not to good at the best of times, here this is for you".

He gave the Doctor a piece of paper, the Doctor read it.

"Now, if you don't mind telling me, how do I get out of here"? Glitz asked.

"It's from the Master", the Doctor said.

"I know", Glitz informed him, "I've just given to you, and he said it might be useful"

"It tells me where the Valeyard has his base", the Doctor said reading the paper.

"The Fantasy Factory", Glitz read the paper out loud, "proprietor JJ Chambers".

Then Organ music began playing, showing a red and yellow neon sign saying The Fantasy Factory on the pottery factory.

"So that's where he got to", the Doctor said.

The Doctor walked closer towards the Fantasy Factory, urge Glitz and Peri to follow him.

"So why does the Master helping me", the doctor asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure you find out, I'm off", Glitz said starting to leave.

"No, come on", the Doctor told him grabbing his arm; "I want you to meet my darker side".

"I've done my bit", said Glitz.

"Pop in and say hello", the Doctor said putting his arm around Glitz shoulder, "you'll be perfectly safe".

As the Doctor removed his arm, the Factory began to illuminate very bright lights.

"What's going on"? Glitz said curious.

Then the entrance door bursts open and a harpoon descends towards them, impaling Glitz collapsing to the ground, Peri screamed at the horrid act.

Back in the trial room the Inquisitor questions the Master on the evidence.

"Assuming I accept what you say about the evidence against the Doctor, how much of it have been contrived"? She asked.

"For a lie to work, madam, it must be shrouded is truth", the Master told her, "therefore, most what you saw was true".

"It is obvious that the young woman lived", The Inquisitor said.

"Yes the delightful Miss Perpugillam Brown", the Master stated, "That was clever of the Valeyard, exploiting the affection the Doctor had for her, but then of course, the Valeyard would know precisely how the Doctor felt".

"What really happened"? She asked.

"What I'm about to show you is the actual evidence of the events on Thoros Beta" the Master informed, "let's start with Croziers experiment on Miss Brown, this will shock you".

The screen began to show the event of Yrcanos rescuing Peri, the Doctor being removed from time with his Tardis, the time bubble is in fact surrounding Peri and Crozier, stopping them in their tracks, but as Yrcanos and Tuza headed for the lab, when they attacked the guards, little did they know, a shadowy figure was following them, he had a phaser and killed Tuza, pointed the phaser at Yrcanos.

"How predictable, for a war lord such as yourself", the man in the shadows said, "Peri is not going to be your bride, seeing as how you won't live long enough to enjoy it".

The voice was very familiar, as he revealed himself as none other than the Valeyard, shocking everyone watching.

"And what makes you think I won't kill you first"? He asked.

"Simply because you have no weapon at your disposal", the Valeyard stated.

"VAROONIK"! Yrcanos yelled and charge at the Valeyard.

The Valeyard fired three times, Yrcanos falls dead at the Valeyard's feet, and the Valeyard laughs at the dead fool.

"Varoonik, indeed", the Valeyard stated, kicking the corpse.

As he began to deactivate the time bubble, he heard a Tardis engine, he quicken his pace enters the lab, and he came face to face with the Master carrying Peri into his Tardis.

"You interfering fool"! The Valeyard seethed, "can't you leave anything alone"?

"Unfortunately, Valeyard", the Master stated, "Seeing you are more evil, therefore I cannot allow you to destroy the Doctor".

He closed his Tardis doors, and dematerializes.

The Valeyard growled, knowing the Master thwarted his plans.

As the screen cut out there, bringing back the Master.

"As you see, the Doctor tried to save Miss Brown, but the Time Lords intervened, removing him from time, but the Valeyard had been on Thoros Beta, observing the incident, killing Yrcanos in the process, when the time bubble was still in place, I was able to penetrate the bubble and save Miss Brown".

"A very disturbing piece of evidence the Valeyard had removed", the Inquisitor stated.

"Is there anything we can do to help"? Mel asked.

"You'll catch a cold laying there", the Doctor told Glitz.

"You're a hard man, Doctor", the still alive Glitz said, surprising Peri, "I could have been killed".

"Not if you're wearing mark seven postidion life preserver", the Doctor said pulling the harpoon out of his chest.

"Yeah, well, whoever threw that harpoon didn't know that". Glitz said getting up, "So much for illusions, anyway, I thought it was you he was trying to kill".

"Yes, he's playing games", the Doctor said, "wants to humiliate me first".

"Oh, I see", Glitz said sarcastically, "he humiliates you, by throwing harpoons at me, makes a lot of sense".

"Both of your presences makes his task more difficult" the Doctor told Glitz and Peri, "he knows that, he also knows that together we can fight him."

"Look, Doctor", Glitz told him, "I'm a small-time crook, with small-time ambitions, one of which is to stay alive, I'm sorry Doctor, I wish you every good luck, but I'm on my way, I've done my bit".

He begins to leave; Peri just shakes her head at him leaving.

"If you leave and I die", the Doctor informed, "what future do you'll have"?

Glitz stops at the Doctors statement.

"As the only witness to events here", the Doctor continued, "The Valeyard will be forced to seek you out and kill you".

"All right", Glitz conceited, "I'll help you"

"Good man", Doctor said, "now button up your life preserver, and let's get on with it".

The three of began to head to the Fantasy Factory.

Back in the trial room, The Inquisitor is livid about events that have happen.

"In all my experience", the Inquisitor said, "I have never before had to conclude a case, in both the absence of the accused and the prosecutor".

"One and the same person, madam", the Master informed her.

"So you've said, but can you prove that"? She inquired.

"I know them both", he answered, "but I suggest you question the High Council, they set up this travesty of a trial, making a scapegoat of the Doctor to conceal their own involvement".

"Is there any reason, why I should accept that allegation from a renegade Time Lord"? She asked.

"Yes, if you're concerned with learning the truth", the Master informed her.

"What is your interest in this matter"? She asked, "Not, I think, concern for the Doctor".

"Oh, indeed not", the Master chuckled, "the Doctor's well matched against himself, one must destroy the other".

"How utterly evil", said Mel.

"Thank you", the Master said taking the statement as a compliment, "I think I lay shades more odds on the Valeyard, though the possibility of their mutual destruction must exist, that would be perfect".

"You're despicable"! Mel said disgusted.

"Am I to take it some based desire for revenge is your motive for interfering"? The Inquisitor asked.

"There's nothing more purer and more unsullied, madam", the Master informed her, "than the desire for revenge, but, if you follow the metaphor, I've thrown a pebble into the water, perhaps killing two birds with one stone, and causing ripples that'll rock the High Council to its foundation".

He laughed at this, with extreme relish, while everyone with outraged by this statement.

"What more could a renegade wish for"? He asked.

The Doctor, Peri, and Glitz, entered into reception area to find a middle aged clerk at his desk writing in his ledger, they approach the desk clerk.

"How do you do"? The Doctor said, "I think we're expected".

The clerk just continued writing in the ledger, as if they weren't there.

"Are you sure we're in the right place"? Glitz asked.

The Doctor rang the bell on the desk, and the clerk looked up at them.

"Yes"? The clerk asked.

"We'd like to see the proprietor, please", the Doctor told him.

"Do you appointment, sir"? The clerk asked, "Mr. Chambers only sees people by appointment, most particular about appointments is our Mr. Chambers".

"I think you'll find that we're expected", the Doctor informed him.

"What is your name, sir"? The clerk asked.

"I am known as the Doctor", the Doctor told him, "and this is Miss Peri Brown, and this is Mr. Sabalom Glitz".

"Hi", Peri introduced herself.

While Glitz bowed, the clerk didn't acknowledged them just went turned the pages of the ledger.

"If this Valeyard wants you dead, he's got a funny way of going about it", Glitz said to the Doctor.

"I've told you, its called humiliation", the Doctor told him.

The Doctor looked at the clerk, whose slow pace was making him impatient.

"Could you hurry up, please"? The Doctor asked, "We haven't got all day".

"There are procedures to follow, sir", the clerk said, "necessary routines to be completed, even when I found your names, there are many forms to inscribed, before you can move on to the stage of processing, processing is very important in this establishment, I'm sure you will understand that such things cannot be rushed, sir".

"Oh, I don't know", the Doctor told him, "I've always been bit of an iconoclast by nature".

He rushed to the office door, Peri and Glitz followed him.

"You can't go in there, not without an appointment"! The clerk yelled.

As they entered the office, they come across another clerk that looks exactly like the other clerk, except this one is wearing glasses.

"Ah Doctor", he said.

They look back at the other clerk, who was back at his work, they look at the clerk with glasses, and then they close the door.

"Well, at least you're expecting us", the Doctor said.

"We all are", the clerk told him.

"Your look-alike there wasn't", Glitz said.

"He is the exception", the clerk told while putting a feather pen behind his ear, "the very junior Mr. Popplewick isn't permitted to expect anyone".

"Ah", Glitz said, "what's he talking about"?

"I think its called bureaucracy", the Doctor told him drolly.

"I prefer to call it order", the clerk said firmly, "and the holy writ of order is procedure, I'm sure agree".

"Oh yeah, of course", Glitz laughed.

"For example", the clerk continued, "you wish to see the proprietor, now the correct procedure is to make an appointment".

"But we're already expected", the Doctor countered.

"But the junior Mr. Popplewick isn't allowed to expect anyone"! The clerk retorted.

"Well, you knew we were coming", Glitz said, "Why didn't you give him a nod"?

"And upset the procedure"? The clerk asked angrily, "the junior Mr. Popplewick has his pride, too".

"I don't understand any of this", Glitz said, "Here we are, waiting to duck a terminal knuckle sandwich, and all this screeve's going on about is whether we've got an appointment or not".

"Is there no way to expedite the procedure"? The Doctor asked.

"Expedite"? The clerk said, "I am a senior clerk, sir; to me the procedure is sacrosanct, my work is celebration of all that is perfect, why speed perfection"?

"Because your employer wants me dead", the Doctor answered.

"You seem to have found the one little weakness in our procedure, sir" the obvious Senior Mr. Popplewick told him, "would you sign this"?

He handed the Doctor a piece of parchment.

"What is it"? The doctor asked.

"A consent form, sir", Mr. Popplewick told him, "The corridors in this factory are very long and dark, should you unexpectedly die, our blessed proprietor, Mr. JJ Chambers, insists he inherits your remaining lives".

"Obviously, the Valeyard doesn't trust the High Council to honor their side of the bargain", the Doctor stated.

He put the parchment on the desk, about to take the feather pen from his ear, only Mr. Popplewick put his hand up stopping him, he gave the Doctor the other feather pen, the dipped the pen in ink.

"Sign that and you're a dead man", Glitz said stopping him.

"Don't sign it Doctor", Peri said to him.

"We're in the Valeyard's domain", the Doctor told them, "he can try and kill any time he likes, and I'll sign my remaining lives to Mr. JJ Chambers".

He signs the parchment; throw the pen back on the desk, and the parchment back to Mr. Popplewick.

"Are you sure about this"? Glitz asked him

"Absolutely", the Doctor answered and turned to Mr. Popplewick, "now can we see your proprietor"?

"The waiting room is through there", he told the Doctor pointing the door reading the parchment, and "you will be summoned as soon as your signature has been verified".

The Doctor walks to the door, which has waiting room inscribed on it, Peri and Glitz follow him.  
>"This is madness", Glitz told the Doctor.<p>

"Not if it precipitates my meeting with the Valeyard", the Doctor retorted.

He opens the door, only to be in the middle of gloomy beach side, a cold wind blowing aggressively.

"This is a very odd waiting room" he said examining the beach, "where are the hopelessly out-of-date magazines, hmm Peri, Glitz"?

No one responded

"Peri, Glitz"? He called louder.

Instead he gets the Valeyard's maniacal laugh, the Doctor turns looking for him, but he's nowhere in sight.

"What have you done with them"? The Doctor called.

"Look to your own predicament, Doctor", the Valeyard voice told him.

The Doctor looked down to see hands coming up from the mud grabbing the Doctor's legs with inhuman strength.

"This is an illusion, I deny it"! The Doctor denied.

The hands continued to hold him firmly

"Not this time", the Valeyard's voice declared.

"This isn't happening"! The Doctor continued.

The Doctor began prying the hands off, while more hands came up from the wet mud getting one off, till the other caused him to trip and fall to the ground, more hand grabbing him, The Valeyard continued laughing.

"You are dead, Doctor", the Valeyard taunted.

The Doctor began sinking into the sand, with the hands pulling him in.

"Goodbye, Doctor"! The Valeyard taunted again, laughing again.

**To Be Continued...**


	2. The Horrors of the Matrix

Doctor Who

The Trial of a Time Lord

Chapter 2

"Goodbye, Doctor"! The Valeyard taunted again, laughing again.

"No"! The Doctor screamed.

He sank into the sand head first, leaving his leg sticking out.

"Doctor"! Peri called running up a sand dune.

"Doctor"! Glitz called coming from another dune, Glitz saw Peri.

"Glitz, look"! Peri pointed to the beach, and seeing the Doctor's feet dangling in the sand.

"Don't give in"! Glitz yelled, "We're coming"!

They ran from the sand dune as fast they could, when they reached the Doctor, Glitz tried to pull him out by grabbing his feet, but he the Doctor's orange ankle armor slipped of his shoes, causing Glitz to fall.

As he got up, the Doctors feet already sank in the sand.

"What a way to go"! He lamented, "all in all, he wasn't a bad old codger, honest, of course, still, nobody's perfect".

Peri smacked him in the face, shocking him.

"How can you say that", she accused him "now we'll never get out of here".

"Nobody's perfect, that's what he said" said a voice from the sand pit, "and that's the clue, nobody is, not even the Valeyard".

Glitz hearing this throws the ankle armor into the pit in fear, Peri jumped at the voice.

"Great cosmic protector of grafters and dissemblers", Glitz yelled putting his hands together in prayer like position, "save me! Save me! A voice from the grave".

"No, a grave voice", the voice said.

A few feet away from them, the Doctor emerged from the sand, completely unharmed, and his clothes, his ankle armor still on his shoes and multicolored are completely dry.

"Bad joke", he told them, "but everything round here is a bad joke".

"Don't scare me like that ever again", Peri told him and embraced him.

"No mud"? Glitz asked still shocked. "But I saw… your ankle armor, I don't get it".

"Oh, do concentrate, Glitz"! The Doctor said. "How often must I tell you? We're not dealing with reality".

The Valeyard appeared in a flash.

"Why waste your breath on that simple minded oaf"? He said vanishing again, and appeared next to Glitz. "You cannot speak as though reality is a one-dimensional concept".

He vanished again and appeared beside the Doctor and Peri.

"Fortunately, there is a reality that you and I can both agree on, the ultimate reality", he told the Doctor.

"Death"? The Doctor asked.

"The undiscovered from whose bourn no traveler returns", the Valeyard quoted, vanished and appeared the other side of the Doctor.

"Puzzles the will". The Doctor quoted, "Hamlet, act three, and scene one".

"I really must curb these urges", the Valeyard said. "I have no wish to be contaminated by your whims and idiosyncrasies".

"Quite so", the Doctor said. "But what I don't comprehend".

The Valeyard vanished again, interrupting the Doctor.

"He's over here Doc", Glitz told him pointing to where he is. "Slippery customer, your other persona".

"What I don't comprehend is why you want me dead", the Doctor stated. "No, no let me rephrase that, it would satisfy my curiosity to know why you would go such extraordinary lengths to kill me".

The Valeyard vanished again, this time reappearing on the sand dune, and dressed in a fashion that the Doctor knows all too well, dressed as the First Doctor, except in colors of black, gray, and white.

"Come now, Doctor, how else can I obtain my freedom"? The Valeyard stated vanished more closely with a different outfit dressed as the Second Doctor in the same colors. "Operate as a complete entity", he vanished again, appeared dressed the Third Doctor, in the same dark colors. "Unfettered by you side of my existence"? He vanished and dressed as the Fourth Doctor, in the same dark colors. "Only by ridding myself of you and your misplaced morality", he vanished, and appeared, dressed as the Fifth Doctor in darker colors. "Your constant crusading, you're…"

"Idiotic honesty"? Glitz guessed.

The Valeyard vanished and appeared behind him, this time dressed in the Doctors current incarnation outfit, but in a patchwork of black, gray and white.

"Oaf, Microbe", he snapped, yelling in his ear.

"Pardon me for trying to help", Glitz told him. "I'm neutral in this set up, you know".

The Valeyard walked towards the Doctor, Peri fearfully moves away from the Doctor.

"Only by releasing myself from the misguided maxims", the Valeyard told him. "That you nurture can I be free".

He vanished again, leaving the Doctor, Peri, and Glitz alone.

"Sounds to me like Armageddon's beckoning you, Doc", Glitz told the Doctor.

The Valeyard appeared again, behind them.

"With you destroyed and no longer able to constrain me", the Valeyard taunted. "And with unlimited access to the Matrix, there will be nothing beyond my reach".

He vanished for the last time, while the Doctor began walking away from the beach, Peri and Glitz following him.

"Where are you off to now"? Glitz asked.

"To trace the Valeyard", the Doctor told him.

"But he was here".

"Illusion, Glitz", the Doctor stated. "The shadow, not the substance, but if you don't want to come, you can stay here and build sandcastles, I'm sure if you think hard enough, you can conjure up a bucket and spade".

"Tell you something", Glitz said. "If you two meet face to face, five grotzis give you ten; he's first past the checkered flag".

They continue to walk when a huge mist began to come their way; they stopped when lighting came from the mist.

"What's that"? Glitz asked.

"Back pedal"! The Doctor said as he began running the other way.

"Another illusion"? Glitz asked as he run as well.

"Alas, no", the Doctor answered.

"A self controlled thunder cloud"? Peri asked as she ran as well.

"That and asphyxiating nerve gas", the Doctor answered. "This is in deadly earnest, run".

They begin running up the sand dune, the gas and lighting rapidly approaching them.

Back in the trial room, Mel watched helplessly as the Doctor, Peri, and Glitz running from the gas, and the lighting.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing", she said. "We've got to help him".

"The Doctor chose to enter the Matrix", the Inquisitor told her. "We are not empowered to interfere".

"If I may, my lady", the Keeper said. "You are applying logical thought to a situation that recognizes no logic".

"Give me the key to the Matrix", Mel told him while her coat off. "I'm going in there".

She ran up to him to get the key, but the Keeper moves to the side and trips her.

Back in the Matrix, the Doctor, Peri, and Glitz, still trying to outrun the cloud of lighting, but the cloud was already on them, lighting blasting near them, the gas causing them to breath not well, causing Glitz to fall to the ground, the Doctor pulled him up, they then see a beach cottage, they reach the cottage, open the door and enter in it, then the cottage began to dematerialize.

"Welcome, Doctor", the Master said.

The Doctor, Peri, and Glitz enter the console room of the Masters Tardis, coughing from the gas, the Doctor was quick to recover, shock at the Master helping him.

"Well, I never thought I'd welcome the sight of you", he said.

"It will not happen again", the Master told him.

"What puzzles me", the Doctor said. "Is why it's happening now".

"The explanation is quite simple", the Master said. "I want the Valeyard eliminated, and you are the most likely candidate to achieve that".

"Hang on"! Glitz said. "You told me this fleshy fair-haired personage was the one you wanted to croak".

The Doctor looked at Glitz outrage.

"With the Doctor as my enemy", the Master told glitz. "I always have the advantage".

The Doctor laughed at the Masters statement.

"But the Valeyard", the Master said with a slight quiver, but quickly recovered. "The distillation of all that's evil in you, untainted by virtue, a composite of your every dark thought, is a different proposition".

The Doctor looked at him surprised at this statement, and satisfaction to see the Master reacting this way about the Valeyard.

"Additionally, he's infuriated me", the Master continued. "By threatening to deny me the pleasure of bringing about your destruction, and so he must pay the price".

"Hold it", Peri interrupted The Master. "How can you be so helpful, then the next turn against the people you helped, because you're up against an adversary who's more powerful and evil than you"?

"Because Miss Brown", he told her. "It disturbs me that all this evil comes from the Doctor".

He went to the console, and pressed a button, that started a low hum, and approached Glitz.

"And you, Glitz, shall help me to collect", he told Glitz.

They departed the console room; the low hum began to get louder and more intense, cause the Doctor and Peri to cover their ears, it became an electronic pulse, violently assaulting their minds, having a more impact on the Doctor.

"Would I be wrong in thinking", Glitz said in the corridor, "that the Doctor will soon need a machonite overcoat"?

"Nothing so crude", the Master told him, "he's merely being reduced to a catatonic state".

"Cata-what"? Glitz asked.

"The violent assault on his senses will trip a defensive mechanism", the Master said, "and his brain will switch off".

"He'll become a zombie", Glitz stated.

"Temporarily", the Master told him, "long enough for my purposes".

"But what about Peri"? Glitz asked.

"The assault is only for the Doctor" the Master said, "It won't harm Miss Brown, only assault her hearing".

The hum became more intense and louder, while Peri kept her ears covered, but the Doctor began to become still, with his eyes dilated, and staring off into space, Peri became worried seeing the Doctor like this.

"Doctor", she said shaking him, no response.

"Doctor Snap out of it", she said.

"Do not worry Miss Brown", the Master said. "This is only temporary".

The Masters Tardis dematerialize near the Fantasy Factory, disguised as a statue of Queen Victoria, the stone writing, opened up and the Master, Glitz and Peri exited it.

"Walk", The Master called.

The catatonic Doctor walked obediently out of the Tardis and towards the Master.

"Stop", he commanded.

The Doctor stopped next to the Master, with Glitz and Peri closely behind him.

"This should prove an irresistible bait for the Valeyard", the Master stated.

"You Time Lord's take the cake", Glitz told him. "Talk about devious, compared to you lot, I'm transparent as crystal".

The Master walked off towards a staircase, leaving Peri, and Glitz with the Doctor.

"Poor old Doc", Glitz lamented patting him on the shoulder.

"Stop slobbering", the Master said firmly. "Get over here".

Glitz followed the Master, while Peri move into a corner, the Tardis dematerialized, while everyone, except the Doctor hid from plain sight.

From the Fantasy Factory, the door opens and the Senior Mr. Popplewick on the balcony, looking around and down seeing the Doctor standing in the courtyard, he's goes back inside.

The Master and Glitz look from their hiding place hide again when the door opened, the Valeyard walk out on the balcony, seeing the Doctor, the Master pulls out his Tissue Compression Eliminator gun and fire at the Valeyard.

The ray didn't affect on the Valeyard, the ray just deflected off him; the Master fired again, same effect.

"You really are second-rate adversary", The Valeyard taunted. "Did you imagine I'd be lured by such a transparent ploy?

He then throws a feather pen in the Masters direction, as it hit the ground, it explodes in front of them, and they duck for cover.

The Valeyard laughed evilly, they began to run from their cover, while Peri stayed in her corner and the Valeyard threw more feather pens, exploding as they hit the ground, with the Valeyard laughing evilly as they ran.

He laughed one more time, went back in the factory, leaving the Doctor in the courtyard, while the Master and Glitz continued to run.

"This could all be an illusion", Glitz told him stopping.

The Master grabbed him by the throat.

"Then stay here and find out", the Master said throwing him to the ground.

As Glitz lay on the ground another feather pen landed on the ground exploding him front of him knocking him out.

A minute later, when there no more explosions, Peri came out of her corner, seeing that the Doctor standing, still standing in his catatonic state. She began to walk towards him, when all of sudden a force field surrounded her.

"Doctor"! She yelled.

But the Doctor couldn't hear her; the force field was blocking her out.

The Doctor blinked, beginning to come out of the catatonic state, he shook his head.

"Doctor", a voice called him. "Where are you Doctor"?

"Mel"? The Doctor called.

"Doctor is that you"? Mel said.

"Yes, of course it's me, where are you"? He asked.

"This way, quickly", she told him.

"What are you doing in the Matrix"? The Doctor asked.

"Forget the questions, you'll alive that's all that matters" She told him. "Now please, follow me, before it's too late".

He followed her to from where she was at, by a gate.

While Peri still trapped in the force field, she started to bang at the field, only to get an electric shock.

Then the Valeyard appeared next to her, lowering the force field, and bound it at her knees and she began again calling for the Doctor.

"My dear Peri", the Valeyard told her. "The Doctor can't hear you, he's long gone".

"What are you going to do to me"? Peri asked fearfully.

"I won't harm you", he informed her. "Just to tell you, that the Doctors time is ending, and you shall witness it".

He rose the force field up again, while she started yelling again, but it was no use.

Mel and the Doctor walked back in the corridor of the ship, and the Doctor looked confused.

"But that's the seventh door", he stated. "You're taking me back to the trail room".

"Doctor, trust me", she said with confidence. "Don't you see that until you've cleared your name, you're no better than the Valeyard is, a renegade on the run, an outcast"?

"Quite the pragmatist, aren't you"? The Doctor said, "You're quite right, of course".

They enter the trial room, where the Inquisitor, the Keeper, and the Time Lords waited.

"Doctor, you owe the court an apology", she told him.

"Well, if I do", the Doctor said, "then it is unreservedly offered, madam".

"The charge of genocide is based on your own evidence", she stated.

"And refuted by the Doctor", Mel told her.

"Seems you have a champion in this young woman", the Inquisitor said.

"I was there, remember"? Mel said.

"Would you accept her as an impartial witness"? The Inquisitor asked the Doctor.

"I would trust Mel with my life", the Doctor answered.

"Good", she said, "Keeper".

The Keeper pressed keypad and the Matrix screen came on, on the incident with the Vervoids.

"The vionesium, Mel"! The Doctor yelled.

He threw an explosive at the plant creatures, causing fatal effects to them.

"Is that a true record of what occurred"? The Inquisitor asked Mel.

Mel looked at the Doctor hesitating to answer.

"What shall I say, Doctor"? She asked the Doctor.

"Just tell the truth", he told her.

"Yes", she said. "But I don't want her to twist it like the Valeyard did".

"The truth can't harm me", the Doctor said.

"That's what happened", Mel told the Inquisitor.

"Is it your contention that the Doctor was solely responsible", the Inquisitor inquired, "for devising the scheme we are presently reviewing on the Matrix"?

"Absolutely", Mel told her. "Without the Doctor, we would have all ended up on the Vervoids revolting compost heap".

"A unique solution", the Inquisitor stated.

"Out of this world", Mel said.

"An appropriate expression, wouldn't you say, my lords"? The Inquisitor asked.

The Time Lords begin conversing about the inquiry.

"Appropriate"? Mel said, "something's wrong here, I can sense it, you said the truth couldn't harm you, yet I have a feeling I'm attending a lynching party, tell them you had no choice, Doctor".

"There is always a choice", the Doctor told her.

"Doctor, you stand accused of genocide", The Inquisitor said. "The evidence is incontrovertible, the verdict is guilty".

"No", Mel protested.

"Your life is therefore forfeit", the Inquisitor continued. "Take him from this court".

The guards approached the Doctor, while Mel tried to stop them.

"No, leave him alone", Mel protested.

The Doctor approached Mel, without hesitation.

"Unless we are prepared to sacrifice our lives for the good of all", he told her, "then evil and anarchy will spread like the plague, the rule of law must prevail, madam, I accept your verdict".

The Doctor began walking toward the guards and begins to the leave the court room.

"Switch it off, switch it off"! Mel yelled watching the Matrix screen. "The Doctor has been tricked into believing that was the real trial room, the Valeyard's illusion has deliberately taken advantage of the Doctor's romantic nature, he's convinced he must sacrifice himself, and you're content to let him"!

"We cannot interfere", the Inquisitor told her.

"Well, I can", Mel informed her.

She ran towards the Keeper to get the key, while he tried to trip her again, only for her to stomp his foot, and grabbed the key and exit the court room.

Back in the Matrix, the Doctor was inside a horse cart being pulled through the court yard by the guards.

A hum and a light came down from the alley, and Mel exit out of the light.

She looked around and heard people laughing and begin running from the alley.

The Doctor continued being pulled through the court yard till they approached the Fantasy Factory.

Mel still continued running through the alley, hearing the voices all over the place.

As the Doctor continued on, passing the unconscious Glitz, he began regaining consciousness, seeing the Doctor passing.

"Glitz, Glitz, Sabalom Glitz", a voice called knowing it was the Master.

As he got up, he went into the direction the Master called.

As the Doctor came closer to the Fantasy Factory, voices saying death.

The cart came to a stop, the Doctor looked around very content.

"Tis a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done", the Doctor quoted. "Tis a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known".

Mel finally caught up with the Doctor.

"Never mind the Sydney Carton heroics", Mel said. "You're not signing on as a martyr yet".

"Go away, Mel, go away", he told her.

"That trial was an illusion", Mel said.

The cart vanished, causing the Doctor to fall to the ground.

"You ruined everything", he told her angrily.

"Ruined"? Mel said, "I've just saved your neck".

"All you've done is keep me from a confrontation with the Valeyard", he told her.

But you were on your way to..." said Mel.

"To a death chamber", the Doctor interrupted. "As a result of a bogus trial and my noble act of self-sacrifice".

"You knew it was an illusion"? Mel said. He nodded. "How come"?

"Because of you, Mel", he informed her. "In your evidence, you testified you heard me deny the charge of genocide, but you weren't even there, you hadn't been inside the court room at that time, and with you extraordinary ability of total recall, you wouldn't have made such an elementary mistake".

"Okay, okay, I'm not deaf", Mel said.

"The Valeyard overestimate his own cleverness", the Doctor said loudly, that can be heard, "Like all megalomaniacs, he is consumed with his own vanity! There, that should inflame his bloated ego, come on".

He walked towards the Fantasy Factory.

"Where"? Mel asked.

"To fight Mr. JJ Chambers", he told her.

In the Masters Tardis, he and Glitz was watching the whole event from the viewer.

"I want you to rejoin the Doctor and lead him to the Valeyard", the Master told Glitz.

"No chance", Glitz protested. "You don't catch me near any more quill pens again".

The Master pulled out a jewel like necklace, and began to hypnotize him.

"I'm just gonna stay here till I get back to my own kind", he continued and stared at the jewel, "and some honest thieving".

Splendid, splendid, listen to me", the Master said, "are you listening, Sabalom Glitz"?

"Not really", he said. "I was just wondering how many grotzis this little bauble cost".

He grabbed the jewel, but the Master pulled it away, and went to grab something, a big chest.

"Perhaps this will appeal to your crass soul", the Master said.

He opened the chest; it was filled with priceless valuables.

"Oh, truly a wondrous sight for connoisseur such as myself", Glitz said as he picked up a pearled necklace. "There isn't a living creature in the universe I couldn't bribe with this little lot".

"Yours if you follow my orders", the Master said, kicking the chest shut.

In the office of the Fantasy Factory, the Doctor and Mel looks every file in the office.

"I still reckon we'd be better off outside the Matrix", Mel said while the Doctor looks the papers.

"Oh, oh, you do"? The Doctor inquired.

"It seems to me we should try and draw the Valeyard out", Mel continued. "To where the odds would be more even".

"And how do we do that"? The Doctor asked.

"I hate to say this", she said. "But use you as bait".

"Assuming that it's me he's after", he said.

He went into the other office, looking through more papers.

"Oh, come on", Mel told him. "Just look at the elaborate lengths he's gone already".

"Yes, yes, they were elaborate weren't they"? The Doctor said examining a parchment. "Perhaps too elaborate".

"There are times in our relationship", Mel said. "When I feel an interpreter, wouldn't come amiss".

She walked towards the waiting room door.

"Don't go through that..."! The Doctor warned.

She opened the door, a giant dragon breath flames from its mouth, she screamed and closed the door.

"Door", the Doctor finished.

Glitz sneaked into the other office, looking through the desk and found a large disk.

"Sticky fingers, Mr. Glitz"? The Senior Mr. Popplewick said.

"The Matrix memory bank", Glitz said, "I thought this was destroyed on Ravalox".

"That was a duplicate", Popplewick told him. "This is the master tape".

"Phase three, four, five, and six", Glitz said reading the tape. "All the secrets of the Matrix".

"Not all", Popplewick told him. "The primitive phase's one and two have been relegated to the archives now kindly put it back and do as you're told".

"I'd give my soul for this", Glitz said.

"You would"? Popplewick asked.

Glitz nodded

Popplewick pulled a gun from his hat.

"Would you indeed"? He asked.

"You'd like negotiate, Mr. Popplewick? Sir? Glitz inquired.

In the other office, the Doctor looked at a parchment more closely.

"Look at this, Mel", he told her.

"A list of names", she said.

"Of Time Lords attending my trial", he continued. "Every member of the Ultimate Court of Appeal, the supreme guardians of Gallifreyan law".

"Why are they all crossed through"? She asked.

"Do you notice something else"? He asked her.

"No", Mel said.

"The handwriting", he answered for her.

"It's yours", she said examining it more closely.

"I really most protest at this unseemly behavior", Popplewick protested as Glitz had him in a wrist lock and pulled him into the office at gun point.

"You are contravening all known procedure"! He said.

"Due to my not inconsiderable powers of persuasion", Glitz said. "This minion has agreed to take us to his boss, the mysterious Mr. JJ Chambers".

"Will you lead the way, Mr. Popplewick"? The Doctor asked.

They looked at the waiting room door.

"No", Popplewick said. "No, not through there, Mr. Chambers is across the courtyard, sir".

"If he isn't, there will be one bureaucrat less in the Matrix", Glitz said.

They exit the office, into the other office.

"Ah, just a minute", the Doctor said. "You won't need this, Mr. Popplewick".

He pulled the feathered pen from Popplewick's ear.

"Very astute of you, Doc", Glitz said. "You should live a long time".

"I already have", the Doctor told him. "Over 900 years".

Glitz and Popplewick exit, while Mel turned to the Doctor.

"What's the secret"? She asked.

"Secret, Mel", he said, "what secret"?

The exit the factory, descending the stairs to the courtyard.

"You know", the Doctor said. "I am beginning to realize that I have misjudged Mr. JJ Chambers, alias the Valeyard".

"Not for the first time", Mel said. "In fact, how you managed to survive 900-odd years beats me".

The Doctor noticed something; he walked closer, and saw Peri in the force field.

"Peri"! He ran to her, touched the field, but got a shock.

"Peri", he yelled. "I'll get you out of this, somehow".

"Oh it's simple", Popplewick said, taking a device out of his pocket.

He pressed the button, and force field went down, freeing Peri.

"Are you alright"? The Doctor asked.

"I'm so scared, he knows your every trick", Peri said.

"Well, we'll just see how well he knows my tricks", the Doctor said. "Come on".

The Doctor, Peri, and Mel walked to another building at the end of the courtyard, leaving Glitz and Popplewick alone.

"We had an agreement", Glitz said. "I've done my bit, I've delivered the Doctor".

Popplewick went to take the gun.

"Uh-uh", Glitz told him. "The Matrix memory tape first".

"Oh, very well", Popplewick said, he handed Glitz the tape, and Glitz handed him the gun.

"Tell the Doctor I didn't sell him down the Milky Way for nothing", Glitz told Popplewick.

"I'm sure that will be a consolation to him in his final moments", Popplewick said pointing the gun at Glitz.

He fired the gun, but Glitz shows him the bullet he took out.

"Very astute Sabalom Glitz", the Master told him pointing his TCE at him. "But this is loaded".

"What's that for"? Glitz said, "I thought we trusted each other, I was on my way to see you".

"My trust of you is in equal proportion to your trust of me", the Master said. "The Tardis is over there".

They walk in the direction the Master pointed.

"Such craftsmanship"! The Doctor said admiring an old fashioned engine. "Pride in every cog and piston".

"Doctor, there is another priority, the Valeyard, remember"? Mel said.

"Yeah, how could I forget"? The Doctor said.

Mel looked at the entrance, and only saw Popplewick.

"Where's Glitz"? She asked.

"I don't know", the Doctor said. "Decided to stay on guard, perhaps, eh, Mr. Popplewick"?

"Yes", he said. "I perceive Mr. Chambers is not here, I shall go and find him for you, sir".

"Yes", the Doctor said. "Yes, you do that, Mr. Popplewick".

Popplewick went further the hallway, the Doctor with a determined look, ran to a work desk looking for something.

"If I knew what you were looking for, maybe I could help", Mel said.

He shushed and found piece of wire, and follow Popplewick in the other room, who closed a door with a danger sign.

"I'm awfully sorry, sir", he said. "I don't seem able to locate Mr. Chambers".

"Yes", said the Doctor. "Well I rather thought you might have some trouble".

The Doctor looked behind Popplewick, with an inquiring look.

"Who's that"? He asked.

Popplewick looked in the direction the Doctor looked, the Doctor grabbed him.

"Don't just stand there you two", the Doctor told Peri and Mel. "Help me"!

They help the Doctor tie Popplewick with the wire.

"Unhand me", he yelled, "stop, this is preposterous, you will regret this, Mr. Chambers will demand an explanation, for this iniquitous, this wicked behavior"!

"Well, let's ask him, shall we"? The Doctor said.

He pulled at Popplewicks face, revealing the skin is peeling away, the Doctor pulled the face off, revealing the Valeyard, and he pulled at the Victorian outfit off with the Valeyard's Gallifreyan robes.

"How did you know", Mel asked.

"The performance was too grotesque to be real", he told her. "I have never been able to resist a touch of the Grand Guignol, have we"?

"You'll soon have ample scope to indulge in melodrama", the Valeyard said.

"Really"? The Doctor said, "Why"?

Mel walked over to the door with the danger sign; she opened it, revealing a high tech machine.

"A megabyte modem", Mel said.

The Doctor walked over, examined the machine.

"A maser", he corrected her.

"A maser"? She asked.

"An acronym", the Doctor said. "For "microwave amplification and stimulated emission of radiation".

"But what does it do"? Mel asked.

"Yes, Doctor, enlighten us", the Valeyard said, "Disseminate the news".

"Disseminate..." the Doctor said taking the hint, "a particle disseminator"!

"The ultimate weapon", the Valeyard told him. "Even subatomic particles, gravitons, quarks, tau mesons, all completely disseminated".

The Valeyard began to unravel the wire that was keeping him bound.

"Destroy us and you will destroy yourself", Mel told him.

He just laughs at her very menacing.

"What's the joke"? Mel said.

The Doctor pulled the parchment from his coat pocket.

"I've just realized", the Doctor said. "My writing, our writing, a hit list".

"But how"? Mel asked. "These Time Lords, or supreme guardians of the law, as you called them, are all in the trial room, and we're in the Matrix".

"The Matrix screen"! The Doctor deduced, he rush to the device. "Mel, Peri, you get back to the trial room, tell them to disconnect the Matrix screen and evacuate the court".

"But I can't leave", Mel protested.

"Go! Do it"! The Doctor yelled. "Or there will be mass murder"!

The Valeyard laughed evilly and triumphantly at the Doctor as the truth was laid out.

In the court room the Keeper rushed in, a grave look on his face.

"My lady, an urgent message", he told the Inquisitor, "the High Council has been deposed, insurrectionists are running amok on Gallifrey".

"Thank you, Keeper", the Master said from the Matrix screen, "that is the news I'd been awaiting, listen carefully, I have an edict to deliver, somewhere the Valeyard and the Doctor are engaged in their squalid duel, with luck, they'll kill each other, but that is a mere coincidental occurrence, what I have to impart is of vital importance to all of you, now that Gallifrey is collapsing into chaos, none of you will be needed, your office will be abolished, only I can impose order, I have control of the Matrix, to disregard my commands will be invite summary execution".

The Time Lords began a panicked chatter of what the just heard.

In the Masters Tardis, he approached the console with the memory tape.

"Now that you've purged that from your system", Glitz said, "Can we get on? Load the cassette".

"You really are the archetypal philistine", the Master told him, he loaded the tape into the console, "moments such as this should be savored".

He presses a button, a loud buzzing forcing him away from the console.

"What... What's happening"? Glitz said his voice in a low pitch.

"A limbo atrophier", the Master said his voice also in a low pitch.

"A limbo atrophier"? Glitz asked the force causing him to be push against the wall.

The Master also was being forced against the wall.

"You are elevating futility to a high art", the Valeyard taunted as the Doctor looked for a way to stop the machine. "There's nothing you can do to prevent the catharsis of spurious morality"!

"If you could compile this monstrosity", the Doctor retorted "It follows that I should be able to unravel it".

He began to pull at the device, causing it to spark.

As Peri and Mel exit the building, out of nowhere a force field came down, and Mel was caught in it.

"Mel"! Peri yelled, "Don't worry, the Doctor will get you out of this".

She nodded, and Peri continued towards the alley.

As she exited the seventh door, and entered the court room.

"Disconnect the Matrix", she told them.

"We cannot switch off without the Keeper", the Inquisitor said. "And he's not present".

"Then get out of here" Peri said, "It's a matter of life and death".

The Time Lords began to depart hastily.

As the Doctor was busy with the machine, the Valeyard completely unraveled the wire.

The Doctor continued with taking the machine apart, he pulled down a lever causing the whole thing to spark out of control.

The Matrix screen exploded, causing massive amounts of energy.

The remaining Time Lords duck for cover, Peri, the Inquisitor ducked as well.

In the Matrix the engine exploded, connected to the disseminator.

"Eureka"! The Doctor said. "And you said it couldn't be immobilized".

He walked toward the Valeyard.

"What have you done"? The Valeyard asked.

"Induced an anti-phase sequence into the telemetry unit", the Doctor told him. "The whole system should self-destruct".

"You blundering imbecile", the Valeyard seethed at the Doctor. "You triggered a ray-phase shift that may amass a feedback into here".

He grabbed the Doctor and threw him to the ground.

The explosion was getting worse; the energy was consuming the unit, the Valeyard rushed to the device, but the disseminator was too damaged.

"No it's too late"! He yelled.

The Doctor rose from the ground, exited the factory, he shook his head from the energy waves.

The Valeyard collapses, begins to be consumed by the energy waves.

The Doctor began running to the alley when he saw Mel trapped in the force field.

"Mel"! He yelled. "Let's get you out of here".

The force field intensified causing it to exploded, killing Mel.

The Doctor got up and saw her corpse, he regretted to save her, but ran to the alley.

Little did he know that was illusion, but the energy from the Fantasy Factory became more intense, and exploded.

Back in the courtroom the energy waves ceased, everyone rose.

The Doctor entered the courtroom and was relieved that no one was harm.

"Now, let me see", he said, "where were, I was about to be sentenced, I believe".

"All charges against you are dismissed, Doctor", the Inquisitor told him; "we owe you an immense debt of gratitude".

"Now then, once law and orders have been restored", the Inquisitor said, "a new High Council will need to be elected, and can I persuade you to stand for Lord President again"?

The Doctor laughed nervously.

"I've a better idea', he said.

He's going to suggest you stand", said Peri.

"Indeed, I am", the Doctor said, "And were there such a thing as an intergalactic postal vote, you'd have mine".

Peri laughed at his nervous antic.

"I wouldn't put on the record", she said.

"Oh, you could do me one small favor, if you would", the Doctor said.

Simply name it", the Inquisitor said.

"When the Matrix is restored", the Doctor said. "You can do what you like with the Master, but exercise leniency with Sabalom Glitz, he's not beyond redemption".

"Just keep him away from the crown jewels", Peri said.

They exit the courtroom; begin walking to the Tardis.

"Gallifrey doesn't have any crown jewels", the Doctor told her.

"Well at least this whole ordeal is over", Peri said.

They enter the Tardis, the Doctor stood at the console.

"Yes, well now you can tell me the whole events on Thoros Beta", the Doctor told her.

"Well the Master of all people rescued me from Crozier", Peri told him.

The Tardis dematerializes.

Back in the courtroom the Inquisitor begins to depart as the rest of the Time Lords begin to depart.

"Repair the Matrix, Keeper", she told him. "Requisition anything you need".

"My lady", he said bowing, but as he rose, it is in fact the Valeyard, disguised as the Keeper; he laughs evilly with a sinister look in his eyes.

The End


End file.
